April 10, 2014

REMIX OF THE WEEK | ODESZA

This year’s spring break marked a pretty abrupt switch from our horrendous, endless winter to spring. Fortunately, like many of my classmates, I managed to escape the last few days of winter and spend some time at a warmer place. I didn’t go to Cancun or the Bahamas, or even Florida, but instead to Austin, Texas. A bit of a strange choice (especially in the post-SXSW void), but it was a blast. Even though the city was likely still recovering from one of the biggest music festivals of the year, I managed to catch live music every night I was there; it was fantastic.

To kick it off, I saw Kodak to Graph, D33J and ODESZA at Stubb’s BBQ — infamous as the site of the drunk driving crash at this past SXSW and the venue of Lady Gaga’s vomit performance. Though I’d never heard of the first act Kodak to Graph (who killed it, by the way), I’ve been a big fan of D33J for a while (and obviously wore his shirt and snapped a pic with him), and I love ODESZA. Everyone was pretty much jamming to these first two, but the crowd really let loose for ODESZA. Known for its sparkly synths, ODESZA is exactly the kind of act that people should listen to on spring break. It’s fun and upbeat, and somehow manages to capture the essence of “YOLO” audibly.

And so, in their honor, this week’s remix is their newest piece: A rework of Ki: Theory’s “Open Wound.” Just like most of my music, I managed to snag the original as a legal, free download (thx, Internet). The original oscillates between a sparse and jumpy section and builds up to a rich chorus. ODESZA’s remix is pretty much their signature: Choppier vocals, synth beats and a stronger bass and steady beat. They keep the strong buildup to the euphoric chorus, which in this case is reminiscent of one of ODESZA’s most popular songs, “IPlayYouListen.” So while they lose one point for lack of originality, it’s a chorus that really works and is impossible not to jive to.

High school students from “around the nation and world” are participating in Cornell’s 12th annual Model United Nations Conference, where they have begun debating international issues. The conference, which began Thursday, is being hosted by the Cornell International Affairs Society.